Tue Jun 17, 2014

When it comes to the run-of-the-mill Thai restaurants, you can count on me being predictable—pad kee mao and fried spring rolls is my order of choice. At the more authentic Thai joints though, I go crazy for the smorgasbord of spicy dishes that showcase the deep complexity of Thai cuisine that can span sweet to sour to tangy to bright and so much more. The standard corner Thai restaurants never really seem to achieve this in a way that piques my taste buds, which is why I stick to the almost always fulfilling broad noodles with spicy basil. There is one dish though I've found to be fairly consistently on menus at all Thai joints that starts to get at this richer contrast of flavors—spicy duck salad.

Tue Feb 18, 2014

I can totally get behind a beef satay—thinly sliced, marinated flank steak becomes incredibly delicious when well seared over a scorching fire—unfortunately I can't say the same for chicken satay. Sure, the components of the marinade are more noticeable on chicken, but it's the lack of flavor and fat in the meat itself that makes it comparatively flavorless and, all too often, dry. So I approached making this Thai chicken satay with some low expectations, but luckily the final product left me pleasantly surprised.

Thu Sep 1, 2011

I was racking my brain on what type of grand piece of meat I'd present to all of you for Labor Day. The more I thought about it, the more I got a little depressed as the grandness of this grilling holiday is quickly followed with grills being covered and quickly forgotten. It's this that got me thinking about treating the Labor Day lead-up just like any other day on the Meatwave—which still involves a lot of incredibly delicious meat, just without a grand gesture. So what I have prepared for all of my meaty minions are these Thai beef satay skewers, which would be an excellent addition to any cookout menu, even if it doesn't have the presence of, say, brisket or pulled pork.

Thu May 27, 2010

Blogging is such a funny thing, a constant pull between complete anonymity and total exposure. Being more than a bit shy and reserved in my real life persona, I rather enjoy the wall I get to hide behind while I ride on this internet superhighway, so I didn't know what to make of an email I received shortly after posting this Asian turkey burger with Sriracha mayo recipe asking if I'd like to be interviewed for a documentary about Sriracha.

A couple of years ago I would have quickly shunned the idea—too much fear and pressure in plopping in front of camera to be a talking head—but right now I'm in a "busting out of my shell" phase, and decided to dive right in, for better or worse. As the interview looms later this afternoon, my head is whirling with mixture of anxiety and tasty tidbits I could impart in my love for Sriracha, which got me thinking of this recipe I had lurking in the back log for Thai beef rolls with sweet chili sauce—featuring a brief cameo by Sriracha, of course.

Mon Jun 2, 2008

Being a creature of habit, I was comforted when an email arrived announcing that the Dr. Popsicle birthday would be returning for another year of bbq in Prospect Park. This event not only signifies the turning of age of its radical host, but also the one year anniversary of my first foray into sausage making. It seemed only fitting for me to take out the grinder and have another go, in the name of tradition and the good Dr.